Can-opener.



No. 784,424. PATENTED MAR. 7, 1905. A. PETERSON. CAN OPENER.

APPLICATION FILED DEO.13.1904.

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attormug NITED STATES Patented March '7, 1905.

PATENT OFFIcE.

CAN-OPENER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 784,424, dated March 7, 1905.

Application filed December 13, 1904. Serial No. 236,749.

To (bid "(vim/1t if may concern:

Be it known that 1. AARON Pn'rnusoN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Kane, McKean county, Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Can- Openers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to certain improvements in can-openers; and the objects and nature of the invention will be obvious to those skilled in the art in the lightof the following explanation of the structure shown in the accompanying drawings, which illustrate what I now consider the preferred embodiment of my invention.

An object of the invention is to provide certain improvements in-can-openers whereby a can-opener will be produced of increased efliciency and durability and which can be easily applied and operated to rapidly make the cut desired.

The invention consists in certain novel features in construction or in combinations and arrangements of parts, as more fully and particularly set forth hereinafter.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of the improved can opener. Fig. 2 is a perspective view thereof, showing the cutting-blade and its attaching screw or rivet separated from the head of the device. Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of the device. Fig. 4 is a side elevation from the opposite side to that shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a cross-section of the cuttingblade.

In the drawings, 2 is the body or head of the can-opener, and 3 is any suitable handle or lever rigid with and projecting from said head. The handle is usually straight and can be attached to or formed integral with said head. The head is preferably enlarged and composed of hard metal, usually in the form of a solid square or rectangular block having liat faces and the transverse straight fulcrum edge at at the front lower corner of the block formed by the meeting fiat front end and bot tom faces of the block, said faces being usutremity.

ally arranged approximately to form a right angle. The lefthand side of this head is rabbeted from its top face downwardly for a certain distance to form a seat 5 for the shank 6 of the cutting-bla 1le 7. The rabbeted portion terminates a distance above the under face of the head to form the seat 5, with the rigid bottom longitudinal abutment, shoulder, or rib 8 usually extending throughout or approximately throughout the length of the head. The blade 7 is preferably formed integral with the usually flat oblong plate or shank 6 to lit the seat 5 and having a straight longitudinai lower edge to lit and abut against the corresponding edge or shoulder 8 of the head. The shank 6 is usually of the same length as the head and of such thickness and width as to fill the seat or rabbeted portion 5 to complete the contour or shape of the head. Any suitable means can be employed to rigidly, but preferably removably, secure said blade-shank to the head. For instance, 1 show a headed screw orrivet 9 passed transversely through the shank and head. This rivet locks the shank to the head, while the longitudinal abutting shoulders or edges of the shank and head prevent play or movement of the blade independently of the head and brace the blade and relieve the rivet of undue strain. The blade can be easily removed by removing the screw where a machine-screw is employed or where the upset rivet is employed by filing off the upset end of the rivet and then using a fresh rivet for fastening on a new blade or the old blade after the same has been sharpened or repaired.

The blade extends forwardly from the front end of the angular shank in longitudinal continuation thereof and is gradually curved or inclined forwardly and downwardly and is also gradually reduced in width to a rounded sharpened free end or cutting puncturing ex- The blade is flat and elongated and is preferably on both side faces beveled off to both longitudinal edges, whereby both the convexed upper and concaved lower edges of the blade are sharp, although the convexed longitudinal top edge of the blade constitutes the shearing cutting edge thereof, as hereinafter more fully recited. The blade is approximately oval in cross-section to facilitate and reduce friction during the cutting operation and to enable the blade to readily and abruptly change its direction at angles or corners during the cutting operation and while projected through the sheet metal being cut. The blade is elongated and curved downwardly preferably so that its rounded cutting extremity is located below or projects across the plane including the bottom face of the head and the fulcrum edge or angle 4, for the purposes hereinafter recited.

10 is a rigid guard or guide finger preferably arranged in a plane parallel with the plane of the blade and arranged a suitable distance therefrom. This finger 10 is elongated and usually formed integral with the metal head and projects forwardly from the front upper corner thereof, with its free end abruptly curved downwardly, so that the finger assumes the shape of a horizontally-arranged d or hook. The downwardly-projected free end of this guide-finger projects below the plane of the end of the blade, and the finger preferably does not project forwardly as far as the blade. The finger is preferably formed comparatively wide with a plain fiat inner face to engage the outer surface of the can. It will be observed that the fulcrum edge 4L is in length equal to the full width of the head and that said edge is located a considerable distance from or below the heels or inner ends of the finger and blade. In action the rounded end of the blade is forced through the can-top and the guide-finger depends at the vertical wall of the can and guides the blade to travel a certain distance from the edge of the can-top and maintains the blade in proper working position. The fulcrum edge 4 rests on the can-top and the device rocks on said edge in performing the cutting operation. The cut is made on the downward movement of the handle, so that the long convex upper edge of the blade cuts very easily with a shearing action, making a comparatively clean cut, while a comparativelyclong slit or cut is made at each stroke by reason of the peculiar shape of the blade in connection with the peculiar location of the fulcrum edge 4 with respect to the blade.

By reason of the peculiar shape of the finger with respect to the blade the finger will maintain its position beside the outer vertical face of the can even though the handle be pressed down until the blade moves through and above the can-top. If it is desired to cut through the central portion of the can-top a distance from the edge thereof, the curved outer edge of the finger will form a stop resting on the can-top and limiting the inward movement of the blade in puncturing the can-top and also will form a fulcrum on which the device rocks during the cutting operation. The fulcrum edge 4: being sharp or angular in a measure bites into or takes hold of the can-top or the seam around the same during the cutting operation and prevents slipping.

tom face of the head, a forwardly-extending guide-finger rigid with said head and having a downwardly-elongated free end, and the elongated longitudinally and downwardly curved blade having the top curved shearing edge and the flat shank secured against a side face of said head and seated on said shoulder, substantially as described.

2. A can-opener comprising a head having an angular transverse fulcrum edge, a curved guide-finger extending forwardly from said head with its free end extended downwardly, and an elongated curved blade approximately oval in cross-section and spaced from said finger and extending forwardly from said head a distance above said fulcrum edge, said blade extending forwardly and downwardly at a different curvature from that of said finger and havingacurved longitudinal upper cutter edge, the free end of said finger depending below the blade.

3. A can -opener comprising a handle having an end head, the lower front corner of which forms the transverse angular fulcrum edge, and an elongated blade secured to the head, said blade having the top longitudinal cutting edge curving forwardly and downwardly from the head, the lower free cutting end of said blade extending across the plane of the bottom face of said head, said head formed with a flat guide-finger projecting forwardly therefrom with its outer end curved downwardly to a point below and terminating in a plane between the head and the extremity of said blade.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

' AARON PETERSON.

\Vitnesses:

CARL ENG-s'rRoM, J. MACDONALD. 

